Wire-stretcher.



C. Ni. HUD.

WIRE STRETCHER.

APPLICATION man r11/m21 :911.

Patented ar. 19, 1918.

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WIRE-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

Application led March 12, 1917. Serial N o. 154,068.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN M. RUD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Slayton, in the county of Murray and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire-Stretchers; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements 1n wire stretchers intended for general use, but especially adapted for use in the construction or repairing of wire fences. To the above end, generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved wire'stretcher anchored to one of the posts of a barb wire fence and holding one of the wires thereof;

Fig. 2 is an edge elevation of the invention as viewed from the right, with respect to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view corresponding to Fig. 1, with the exception that the lever is shown as temporarily used for placing the anchor chain under tension in securing the wire stretcher to a post; and

Fig. 4 is a side view showing the wire stretcher as used when making a splice in a wire.

The numerals 5, 6 and 7 indicate, respectively, two of the posts and one of the wires of a barb wire fence. Staples S are used in securing the wire 7 to the posts 5 and 6.

The numeral 9 'indicates the body of the improved wire stretcher and, as shown, its outer longitudinal edge portion bears directly against the post 5 transversely of the wire 7 and on the opposite side thereof from the post 6.

Integrally formed on the sides of the body 9 and with each other, are the fixed jaws 10 of a pair of wire retaining grapples, oblique shoulders 11 and flanges 11. The shoulders l1 project laterally outward from the body 9 and the flanges 11 extend along the outer edge portions of the body 9, between the shoulders 11 and the tooth 12. rlihese shoulders 11 and flanges 11 directly engage the post 5 and afford wide bearing surfaces which prevent the body 9 from tipping laterally on said post 5 under pulling strains. The shoulders 11 also prevent endwise movement of the body member 9 toward the inside of the fence. Also laterally projecting from the body 9, in the same direction with the shoulders 11, the wide horizontal tooth .12 is adapted to engage the post 5 at a point inward from the shoulders 11 and thereby tends to hold said body against lateral twistlng movement on said post and against lendwlse movement toward the outside of the rence.

On one end of an anchor chain 15, is a snap 14, adapted to interlock with a pin held by the jaws of a bifurcated lug 13, on the body 9, in the vicinity of the operative faces of the fixed jaws 10, and detachably connects said anchor chain to the body member 9. The intermediate portion of this anchor chain 15 is extended around the post 5 and its outer or free end portion is passed between a pair of laterally spaced curved iingers 16 formed on the inner end of the body 9 to afford a guide for said anchor chain. A wedge-like key 17, attached to the body 9 by a chain 18, is adapted to be inserted through any one of the links of the chain 15 and reacts against the fingers of the guide 16 as a base of resistance for holding said chain under strain around the post 5.

Integrally formed with the inner end of the body 9, is a lateral extension 19 which projects from the inner edge thereof and terminates in a curved hand piece 2 0. A. hand lever 21 is fulcrumed to the lateral extension 19 for movement in the same horizontal plane with said body. On the short end of the hand lever 21, is a curved finger 22 adapted to be inserted through any one of the links of the chain 15 at the free end portion thereof, as shown in Fig. 3. Obviously, by moving the hand lever 21 into a position to carry its linger 22 toward the guide 16, inserting the same into one of the. llinks of the anchor chain 15 and then moving said hand lever in a reverse direction, the anchor chain 15 may be placed under tension around the' post 5. While the r anchor chain 15 is thus held by the hand lever 21, the key 17 may be inserted through one of the links of said chainv toholdthesame in a manner, as previously described. In caseY Y placed onthe anchor chain 15 will causev they linkl thereof, together with Ithe toothf 12, to sink into the' post 5 and thereby assist inh rigidly' securing'the wire stretcher to the post 5. 1t will' be noted that the angle, be'-4 tween the body Q'and its "extension 19, 'is more than a right angle, so that, under a pulling strain on the anchor `chain 15, the same will move "between the fingers 16 and not'drag,r over the adjacent end oftlie body 9. "The numeral 23 indicates the movable j aws'of the 'wire-retaining grapples and they are intermediately pivoted by a nut-equipped bolt 24 to the inner end portion `of the body 9y with their inner ends arranged for Tcooperation 'with vthe fixed jaws1'0. `These movable jaws 23 are, as shown, made double ended, so that whencone end thereof becomes worn', the saine may be l'reversed end for end'. A pair of pulling grapples is secured, one to each side of the l'hand lever21,- and each of said pulling-grap'ples comprises a iixed jaw 25 and a'coperating movable jaw'26. On each Xedjaw'Q, isa lip`27, under Vwhich the free end of vthe respective nievable `jaw 26 works. A single nut-equipped b olt 28 pivotally connects both oftheE movable jaws 26 to' the hand lever`21.

The ends' of 'the coiled spring 29, are anchored, one to each' of the movable jaws 26, and its intermediateL portion bears 4on the hand lever 21 as a base of'resistance and tends to yieldingly hold the movable jaws 26 'in 'coperative arrangement with the Vfixed jaws 25. lThe movable jaws 26 are mounted to move in theA Same directionwith the movable'j aws 23and the wire 7 will'be alternately held4 bythe retaining'and pulling grapples, 'as the, same is placed under tension bythe lhand lever' 21; A coiled spring 80, 'similar 'to' 'the spring 29, is provided for yieldingly holding the movable jaws 28 inoperative positions. This springv 30 is'not absolutely necessary, as the fixed jaws A23 will be automatically operated by the movement of the wire 7 thereover andyiny some cases,'may be dispensed with.

By reference to Fig. v1, it will be 'noted that thewire 7 restson the body 9 and hand lever'21, between thejaws of the retaining and pulling grapples. By providing a complete set of grapples on each side of the wire stretcher, it is always possible to keep thewire 7 in this same position, no matter which side of the wire stretcher is turned up.

In 'stretching the' wire 7 between the posts 5 and 6, the hand lever 21 is operated with a ratchet-like action. Under a movement of the hand lever 21 to stretch the vwire 7, said wire will be securely held by the pulling grapplev a-'nd yfree to slip, with respect to the retaining grapple. When the hand lever 21 is moved into a position to secure a new hold on the wire 7, nsaid wire will beheld against slippage 'by the retaining grapple and free toslip, with respect tol the pulling grapple. The lips 27- hold the free operative ends of th'ej-aws 26 against'lifting fmovement from the hand levert 21, under pulling strains by the, wire 7, and `tlieyalso hold said wires betweenv the yjaws ofv the pulling grap'ples. As the wire 7 is moved between the jaws of the grapples, the movable jaws thereof, when engaged by the barbsof the wire, will open sufiiciently to permit said barbs to pass therebetween. Y

On the'opposite end of the chain 15 from the'snap 14, fis a grapple 3,1, comprising `a body memberY det'achably secured vto the chain 15 -andhaving pivoted thereto-a leverequipped eccentric 32 arranged forV coperatiton V"with 'an abutment'or lug 33 integral with said body member. In Fig. e, theimproved wire stretcher is shown asusedl when splicing the ends of? two wires.,v ln this use ofthe invention, the chain 15 is Vdetached 'from the body member 9 and its snap 14 secured in a hole in the hand piece 20. One end of one of the wires is held by the grapplel and the adjacent end ofthe v'other of.

s'aidY wires is held by the -retainingand pulling grapples. With the wires thus'held, the

`lever 21 may be manipulated to take the lslack vcut 4ofthe wires land place the saine under the desired tension. After vthe wires vhave been placed'under the desired tension, the overlapping ends thereof may be spliced in the customary'or any desired manner.

`From"the V`above description, it is evident that the improved wirerstretcher may beanchored tofa corner :post and a wire stretched to said post andl stapledf, while held by the wire stretcher.

What Ifclaim is Y A wire stretcher comprising a post-engaging bodymember having an extension projecting outward at anangle thereto and also liavfinga guideat the inner end of said eX- tension, a lever lfulcrumedto said extension for movement toward and from'the body jmemb'er andh'aving an anchor chain-engaging'ng'er, anv anchor chain for securingthe .body-'member to a post and arranged'to be extended throughsaid guide and in position ico to be temporarily engaged by said linger, In testimony whereof l affix my signature whereby the anchor chain may be placed unin presence of two witnesses.

der strain, a -key engageable with different links of the anchor chain and guide for hold- CHRISTIAN M' BUD ing the anchor chain, a wire-retaining grap- Witnesses:

ple on the body member, and a wire-pulling G. H. LUNDER,

grapple on the lever. RAY L. REED.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

` Washington, ZD. G. 

